The present invention relates to a container for magnetic tape designed for use in a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
It is well known that, depending upon the type of magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, which is hereinafter referred to as a magnetic tape player, a container in which magnetic tape is housed is generally referred to as either a "cartridge" or a "cassette". The magnetic tape stored in the cartridge is a substantially endless loop while that in the cassette is unlooped and has both ends secured to respective reels. A recent development is a miniature container or `micro-cassette` which is similar in structure to, but smaller in size than, the cassette and which is used in a magnetic tape player specifically designed for use with such miniature container.
In any event, the conventional container for magnetic tape is formed at the front thereof with at least two access openings; one for a magnetic recording and/or reproducing transducer assembly to project thereinto for sliding engagement with the magnetic tape, and the other for either of a capstan and a pinch roller to project thereinto for driving the magnetic tape in cooperation with the other of a capstan and a pinch roller with the magnetic tape sandwiched therebetween.
In the conventional tape container of the type referred to above, consecutive portions of the magnetic tape housed therein are bared to the outside through the access openings so that the magnetic tape tends to be broken, or otherwise deteriorated. For example, when the magnetic tape within the container is slackened, a portion of the magnetic tape tends to be loosened out of the container particularly through the access opening for the transducer assembly and would result in formation of one or more traces of breakage and/or bend. This has been often experienced because of the fact that a portion of the magnetic tape located within the access opening for the transducer assembly is outwardly biased by an elastic back-up element which is necessitated to facilitate a tight sliding contact between the transducer assembly and the magnetic tape during recording or reproduction of audio information on the magnetic tape.
Moreover, those portions of the magnetic tape located within the access openings tend to be easily touched by the finger of, for example, an operator of a magnetic tape player in an attempt to load the tape container in the magnetic tape player.
Once the magnetic tape is impaired in any of these ways, the performance characteristics of the magnetic tape tend to be adversely affected as is well understood by those skilled in the art.
On the other hand, slackening of the magnetic tape within the container obviously results from the fact that reels to which the respective ends of the magnetic tape are secured and which are housed within the tape container are allowed to rotate freely. In order to avoid this, there is known a tape container wherein frictional shoes each supported on a leaf spring or like elastic member are constantly engaged to the respective reels to impart a frictional force to these reels.
Since the frictional shoes are constantly engaged to the respective reels within the tape container even during the use in a magnetic tape player, there is a possibility that rotation of one of the reels which is coupled to a motor-driven shaft in the magnetic tape player to wind the magnetic tape from the other of the reels onto such one of the reels will be hampered to an extent that fluctuation may occur in the speed of transference of the magnetic tape. Moreover, a consecutive portion of the magnetic tape running from one reel to the other reel is so constantly held under tension that the magnetic tape tends to be easily physically fatigued.
It is also well known that there are various types of magnetic tape now commercially available. For example, a magnetic tape or chromium-coated magnetic tape wherein finely divided particles of chromium oxide are deposited on a plastic tape, a magnetic tape or ordinary magnetic tape wherein finely divided particles of iron oxide are deposited on a plastic tape, a magnetic tape generally referred to as a super low noise tape, and others are now commercially available. These types of magnetic tape have their own performance characteristics quite different from each other.
In order that the magnetic tapes of different type can exhibit their own optimum performance characteristics when used in a particular magnetic tape player, it is also well known that one or both of the peak value of bias current to be applied from a bias oscillator to a transducer assembly and the level of output from an equalizer circuitry are to be varied to meet the specifications of the one particular type of magnetic tape being used. Heretofore, the necessary adjustment is carried out by manipulating switches which are respectively inserted in the bias current generating circuit and equalizer circuit and which are arranged on a control panel in the magnetic tape player.
However, it has often been observed that an operator of the magnetic tape player fails to manipulate one or both of these switches without recognizing the particular type of magnetic tape being loaded in the magnetic tape player. This is because loading the magnetic tape and, therefore, a tape container, in the magnetic tape player and manipulating one or both of these switches are separate and independent procedures and are not associated with each other. Moreover, even if the operator of the magnetic tape player has correctly and promptly manipulated one or both of the switches according to the specification or type of magnetic tape being loaded in the magnetic tape player, there will be a possibility that one or both of the switch may be moved to a wrong position or positions during performance of the magnetic tape player.